Milton Abbey

[CharlieApril2017]

Does anyone have current views on Milton Abbey? Thinking of it for DS for sixth form but see different and wide opinions on the place. Much appreciated.

Jessopy Just read your post about your daughter. It wasn't your brave daughter who was severely bullied for being very sensible by putting an end to a very serious life death situation, where pupils tattooed themselves with dye and a needle attached to a stick, same needle being past around. If so i am sorry for your pain, if not i feel for the parent to whom the child belongs too. My grandson told us what his friends have been saying to him, as he was concerned by what they were saying and their actions towards this girl and brought back his own feelings of fear due to his own bullying incidents. What all the pupils were doing and saying to this poor girl and sending her to Coventry, It's beggars belief. Was it in the newspapers? i haven't read anything to this allegation as of yet. Pupils were horribly abusing her, calling her words repeatedly. Tell tale and Snitch. I was fuming to what my grandson was telling us. we advised him(Point blank), told him to drop all friends who still attends Milton Abbey. We relayed this to our solicitor. If this is or not your daughter. She did the right thing, very brave and to be very proud. God knows how many lives would of been taken or how many lives she has saved, if this girl never reported it. At least this girl had a very strong back bone. I dare say if it is not your daughter, I bet this young lady isn't at Milton Abbey now.

My child was there, I found the school lazy, little work ethic and arrogant when challenged about it. Now my child has loads of work to catch up on. Just annoying. It might suit some children but not mine. Reports of a hierarchical system with the older pupils and lots of partying by the older pupils. Could've spent the money on something worthwhile!!

My son has been at Milton Abbey for three years and he loves it. He has the opportunity to learn in an environment with small class sizes, play a huge amount of sport, in addition to all the other fantastic activities on offer. It is a wonderful school with lots of supportive teachers, parents and pupils. I would not hesitate to recommend the school.
It is always best to visit the school and make up your own mind.

My Grandson as a typical teenager messaging through the night with his ex Milton Abbey friends who can still get updates from within, have learnt the bullying issues at the school are so bad and out of control. WARNING to all parents on this site considering Milton Abbey school, a few pupils have left and going on to other schools, due to bullying and their dysfunctional running of the school. Our grandson like a lot of others suffered appallingly. This school with their non disciplinarian ethos, should not be allowed to escape from their wrong doing. Health and welfare is the most paramount importance towards their pupils, physically and mentally. Police and the authorities should be informed of the dangers that lurk within the grounds of Milton Abbey. I believe a new headmistress is starting this September, as we were told then by a redundant teacher, the school is so ingrained with problems and has been for many years the school will never be rid of the dead rod and will carry on spreading wider and deeper. Listen to your children.

Update Milton Abbey school are on their way out. Just heard their numbers are low for this year. They need closing down for the children's safety.New headmistress won't make any difference.Scapegoat

After reading this thread I feel compelled to add to it. I don't believe in using social media as a platform for opinion particularly negative. As parents we should hold ourselves up as an example in managing our social media interaction without vindictiveness or anger that in itself could be construed as bullying. I'm sorry if people have had negative experiences of Milton Abbey School, again its not my place to comment or have opinion.
I am a parent at Milton Abbey School, I am not employed nor have any other allegiance to the school other than we chose it for our child and have two other children heading their way.

Our child is bright, articulate, sporty, studying hard for 9 GCSE's and has a strong social network of friends at the school. I have been and continue to be nothing but impressed by the school and its efforts to provide a positive, nurturing and learning environment for my child. My child has never worked academically harder in their school career and is loving it and is the most confident I have ever seen them. The house my child is in has NO HIERARCHY, my child always reassures me of this as I ask regularly as I know it can happen IN ANY SCHOOL. Any attempts at 'Hierarchy' is frowned on, managed and stopped. My child continually reassures me of this.

Please do not call my child 'bottom of the barrel' I don't without any justification judge your choice of school, don't judge ours. My child has the right to be educated without your vitriol and anger and be educated in peace.

My child is nothing but busy at weekends, in fact I hear from them less at the weekend because they are always off doing the most amazing activities. I am 'well jel' as they would say! I feel my child cringe at that!!!

I love, love ,love the new Headmistress. What a win for us as a school. She's charming, articulate, funny, bloody clever and obviously believes in what she says and plans to do. The children have very quickly grown to respect her my child grudgingly tells me. I admit the previous Headmaster had had a bit of a personality bypass but he was supported by a good staff so was diluted. The staff group can ALL talk to me knowledgably about my child by name and not a number, there is no uhhming or ahhing to come up with some inane comment, I have found parent meetings inciteful, fair and completely pertinent to my child.
So there you have it, I don't want your replies, your bullying, your anger, your vitriol. I won't be looking, i'm not interested. I just wanted to put across another side to a story about a school that appears not to be anything like the school you all comment on. Let a school change and lets celebrate the fact that it is most definitely for the better. The school is stronger than a social media platform.

Hi student who was at Milton Abbey, was it only the hierarchy that was the problem? What about other aspects of the school. You must have gone there to build your confidence about learning.

I am currently considering Milton Abbey for my Daughter and would love to know if you are still happy with the school

I believe you should visit and meet some parents to have a view

I was at Milton Abbey in the early 80s. It was poor academically but my real gripe was it being so snobby against people who weren't from London and rich. It destroyed my willingness to learn and the only people that did well in life are those who came from wealthy families.

I became estranged from my parents as a result of attending Milton Abbey. If you are a parent your duty is to push your child to achieve their full potential if they're bright not settle for a second rate school where you can leave your child to rot while you get on with your life without them inconveniencing you.

The negative comments made about the school are sad but somewhat only speak for the huge minority, I joined Milton Abbey as a very shy and reserved child, not hugely academic as had been told by previous teachers at another school that I wouldn't pass a single GCSE... I left Milton Abbey as a very confident young man, the school gave me great social skills and provided me with excellent support in a number of areas, the class sizes and staff ratio are fantastic, every staff member knows your name and it felt/feels like a second home. I flourished at MA and I know for a fact it was due to the nurturing environment created by the fantastic supportive staff. Everyone is different and tackles things differently and the staff support this. Don't get me wrong there were some behavioral issues regarding students but you'd get that everywhere with boys and girls from ages 13-18. If I could go back and relive my school days, I would 100% without a doubt and I know for a fact i speak for the majority of my peers. I can in fact state that it was a love-hate relationship with doodes between parents and pupils, bit like marmite. I would deffo recommend MA to anyone and to ignore the backwards old school past it has.

Has anyone got recent experience of the school - good or bad. I don't want to hear from the school itself, I can ring up and ask if I want that sort of opinion, thanks.
Considering for a DC who struggles but was told from someone who has a child there that amongst other things boys were spitting on the girls which sounded very much like my boarding school 30 years ago and therefore something I would avoid like the plague.

@Emmajanebhatt
Thank you for your reply, that is reassuring. Do you think it would suit a shy child on autistic spectrum who has struggled to make friends elsewhere?